• La Trocquerie, a new shop giving pride of place to second-hand goods, has just opened its doors.

  • Here, you can bring back your objects that you no longer use, and exchange them for others, thanks to an astonishing subscription and sticker system.

We knew the resource stores, thrift stores, consignment stores or loans between neighbours... In Nantes, a new shop giving pride of place to second-hand goods has just opened its doors.

On the island of Nantes, rue de la petite Biesse, this strange store arranged like a small apartment, opened for barely a week, works exclusively thanks to exchanges.

"With barter, we make objects last, without over-consuming and still having fun," says Agathe Violain, 30, who left her job in communication a year ago to embark on this project.

Have you finished your book?

Bring it and get another one.

You can also leave with a mug, if that's what you want or need right now.

»

When you enter La Trocquerie, which has no equivalent in France, you have to put aside all your habits.

Already, do not say "customer" but "subscriber" or "user".

Because if there is no exchange of currency, you still have to pay a flat rate beforehand (from 12 euros for five objects to be exchanged at once to 144 euros for one year unlimited), like the would have already made about fifty people since the opening.

Then, don't look for a price tag but for small pellets, in four different colors.

This is the system that Agathe Violain has chosen to indicate which items can be exchanged between them, depending on their interest, quality or rarity.

"In the blue stickers, we have books, crockery, small stationery or haberdashery," explains the manager.

Pink is for games

the decoration, almost all children's clothing.

I don't differentiate between brands.

»

Detach from market and sentimental value

Rarer, the purple and green stickers are affixed to more singular or downright vintage objects.

But here, the objective is in fact to detach oneself from the market value of the objects, just like from the sentimental attachment that one can have for his business.

"It's hard to part with things," says a mother to her son, who has come to offer a bike that has become too small.

At least, if you can leave with games, you will have a good reason to do so!

According to Agathe Violain, already more than 500 objects have been deposited in one week, and 280 have come out.

So much so that the shop no longer looks the same as when it opened.

"It's great because the stock is constantly changing," rejoices the manager.

Thanks to the neighborhood teenagers who come, I'm starting to have a few manga.

I will also be going back to plus size on clothes soon.

I will still have to regulate my stock well, so as not to be overwhelmed.

But I'm happy: people have understood that if they want cool stuff here, they have to bring me cool stuff.

»

In addition to a donation area at the entrance to the store, Agathe also hopes to soon offer rental items, "like raclette machines or a disco ball, which you don't have to own at the year," says the young woman.

At the moment, beach games and small shoes for children are in high demand.

For the start of the school year, you can find a range of school supplies at La Trocquerie.

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  • Nantes

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